[Indy]

Originally Posted by Chewy

Languages evolve, if they didn't we'd still be speaking like Victorians.

Defining a word as meaning the exact opposite of itself is not evolution. If anything, it's devolution.

[Tregard]

Originally Posted by Indy

Defining a word as meaning the exact opposite of itself is not evolution. If anything, it's devolution.

This happens with quite a lot of words. "Nonplussed" and "Peruse" mean the exact opposite of how most people use them.

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by Tregard

This happens with quite a lot of words. "Nonplussed" and "Peruse" mean the exact opposite of how most people use them.

I love the word "nonplussed".

[Scarlett.]

Originally Posted by Indy

Defining a word as meaning the exact opposite of itself is not evolution. If anything, it's devolution.

The progression of languages doesn't really follow a set of neat rules though.

[Princess]

Originally Posted by Indy

Defining a word as meaning the exact opposite of itself is not evolution. If anything, it's devolution.

A lot of words end up meaning the opposite of what they originally meant. Sure even look at the word 'queer', it used to be an insult and the gay community took it and turned it on it's head to mean the opposite.

Language is always changing and certain words have vogue moments just as anything does, colloqially speaking, most people don't use literally for it's original meaning so it makes sense that the definition has been altered.